Ever muttered to yourself, “Where the hell is the peeler?” while rummaging through a drawer full of gadgets you haven’t touched since 2014? You dig past garlic gadgets, novelty slicers, that weird gizmo your aunt swore would “change your life,” until you finally find the one thing you actually need. If this feels familiar, your kitchen is begging for a declutter. Luckily, I — Reshmi, baker-in-chief and professional wrangler of chaos — have thoughts.

I’ve spent 15 years in kitchens, trained in classic French cuisine under Michelin-starred chefs, and now make an average of 17 luxury cakes a day — from birthdays to weddings and everything in between. When I tell you what needs chucking out of your kitchen, it comes from experience… and a few battle scars.

Here are the kitchen utensils you really need to bin*

1. Garlic crushers slow you down

This diabolical invention promises ease but delivers rage. It leaves half the garlic stuck inside, demands fiddly prep anyway, and spits out sad, tiny bits. Total scam.

Reshmi’s hack: Smash the clove with the flat of a knife or mug, peel, chop, done. More flavour, no tears.

2. Pasta makers — the fantasy vs. reality

You imagine candlelit homemade ravioli evenings. Reality? A giant metal contraption hogging storage space and permanently denting your patience.

You’re not making pasta often enough to justify the square footage this beast requires. Donate it, list it, or lovingly release it back into the wild.

Also, calm down John Lewis — nobody is nicking this.

3. Ice cream machines — the space invaders

Another romanticised idea. But the enormous main bowl? That has to live in your freezer for 24 hours. That’s valuable freezer real estate (reserved for peas and emergency Viennetta).

Ben & Jerry’s exists. So does Nonna’s Gelato. Let them live their best life in your freezer instead.

4. Rice cookers — a bulky gimmick

It keeps rice warm — fabulous. But it’s enormous and does exactly one thing. A saucepan does the same job, takes up less space, and doesn’t demand a dedicated cupboard.

Perfect rice, my way: Rinse Basmati, soak 20 minutes, cover with boiling water (4× the volume), simmer 10 minutes, drain. Fluffy every time.

5. Tortilla and chapati makers — no thank you

One trick. Massive footprint. Utter nonsense. A rolling pin is smaller, cheaper, and doesn’t need plugging in. Even if your chapatis look like maps at first, they’ll still taste great.

6. Pizza wheels

The clunkiest, most nightmarish thing in your drawer. A knife works better. Scissors work even better. And neither threaten to slice your fingers when you’re searching for a bottle opener.

7. Cake knives

Capitalism strikes again. You do not need a special cake knife. Any knife will cut cake — trust me, I make dozens of birthday cakes every week and use whatever’s closest.

8. Manual sifters

The RSI-inducing relic of the baking world. A sieve works faster, holds more flour, and doesn’t require a therapy session afterwards.

They jam, clog, and clean-up is pure misery. Bin it (kindly).

9. Egg whisk

The comedy prop of the utensil world. A fork is all you need. Generations of omelettes prove this.

“Professional egg whisk”? Sweetheart, that’s a head massager in disguise.

What do you think is the biggest waste of space? Toastie makers? Boiling-water taps? Tell me everything in the comments — especially if you’ve got a kitchen horror story involving a rogue gadget.

*When we say “bin”, we mean gift, donate, sell — anything but landfill.

Love,
Reshmi xoxo

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